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holes for semaphores

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:31 pm
by surfbum
following on from a problem of body changes , can anyone tell me when they stopped cutting the slots in pillars (on a four door) for the semaphores .My car is a 63 according to my log book but was cut out for them and there is evidence that they were fitted.I have aquired some second hand ones and from club spares a pair of brackets and will fit them to fill the holes in. I dont intend making them work. It just seems so old fashioned in a vehicle that was probably made in 62. Any thoughts?.


Cheers Keith.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:28 am
by myoldjalopy
Semaphores were discontinued in August 1961 so, assuming the holes/slots are original, your car is a bit older than you think! 8)

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:32 am
by philthehill
If I remember correctly BMC fitted plates over the trafficator holes for a short while to use up the body shells originally fitted with trafficators.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:56 pm
by ian.mcdougall
More years ago than i care to remember when i was working in my fathers garage in school break, i was given the job of removing the trafficators and fitting plates with screws and nuts over the holes so that modern indicators could be fitted. I have no idea if the plates were a accessory item from Morris or a kit that could be bought ,

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 5:11 pm
by Gareth
Phyllis has a build date of 27th Feb 1962 and has the mouldings for the trafficator (as all 4-doors do) but the holes were never cut. I'd echo what @myoldjalopy says that your car could be a little older than you thought.

If you havea copy of Ray Newell's excellent Morris Minor bible, all the details of body changes are listed.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 7:32 pm
by surfbum
Gareth .

I dont have that book ,but will look for it. Are there any other subtle changes that I can look for that will give me a clue as to the true age of my vehicle?.the car has undergone extensive restoration to body and suspension but engine and geafbox and all ancileries were in pieces loose .All the nuts and bolts were missing and have been a sod to source.I have started to put things back together but it is not that easy when you didnt strip it down in the first place. I keep finding parts are missing, so buying tham off E-bay is a slow job .The engine is a 948cc and lookes to have been reconditioned recently but one of the valve springs was broken so have re-built that with new valves and springs. I must admit to enjoying working on the car it is so primative and basic compared to my mgb gt.


Cheers Keith.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 11:20 am
by myoldjalopy
Assuming the car is original, there are various clues to look for. The first 1098 engine was fitted September 1962 so, if your 948 is the original engine, it predates that date.
Other clues to look for are the type of seats, whether gloveboxes are fitted or not, the steering wheel and horn button. There were many changes to these items in the early 60's.
If you can post up pictures of your seats, dashboard and steering wheel we can narrow it down quite a bit. Of course, many cars have been altered over the years, so it is quite possible to find earlier cars fitted with the later seats, or bigger engines, for example.
The book Gareth refers to is called 'Original Morris Minor' and dates all the various changes made during production (as well as having lots of useful photos).

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:40 pm
by RobThomas
Chassis number 260431 seems to be about the last one dispatched with cover plates over the trafficator holes, as far as I can tell with Travs running on until circa 428264. not sure how accurate this info is.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:37 pm
by surfbum
Rob .

On my plate is stamped a six digit number starting 9874** is that any help. Engine number should have been 620524 but is not.

Cheers

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:44 pm
by surfbum
m yoldjalopy.

Steering wheel is banjo.heater is round starter is pull switch,but apart from that I dont think many bits on it are original .


Cheers Keith.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:02 pm
by myoldjalopy
Hi Keith,
Those features don't help much as they were used even on the 1098 cars up until Oct 1964. The numbers you quote suggest mid-1962 to me, but that is at odds with having semaphores. Some pics might help.

Re: holes for semaphores

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 4:37 pm
by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
At more or less the same time as the trafficators disappeared ( August 1961, chassis 925448) they also added seat belt fixing points into the sills. Assuming they are original, there are dates on the starter, dynamo, wiper motor, regulator and even the switches! These can all help to date it.

From Ray Newels book, the last 4 door 948, was September 1962 and was chassis number 990283

You will find the chassis number of the vehicle stamped into the bulkhead quite near were the bonnet pull is.